Colonel H. L. Ross is a fictional character from the series of novels by

Len Deighton Leonard Cyril Deighton ( ; born 18 February 1929) is a British author. His publications have included cookery books and works on history, but he is best known for his spy novels. After completing his national service in the Royal Air Force, D ...

variously described as the "Secret File" or "Unnamed hero" novels. His first names are not revealed. Ross is a senior officer in

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis List of intelligence gathering disciplines, approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist Commanding officer, commanders in decision making pr ...

running a

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

security department from his office off

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...

in central London. The character is introduced in ''

The IPCRESS File ''The IPCRESS File'' is Len Deighton's first spy novel, published in 1962. The story involves Cold War brainwashing and includes scenes in Lebanon and on an atoll for a United States atomic weapon test, as well as information about Joe One, ...

'', leading efforts to recover a missing scientists and ultimately expose a traitor in

British intelligence The Government of the United Kingdom maintains several intelligence agencies that deal with secret intelligence. These agencies are responsible for collecting, analysing and exploiting foreign and domestic intelligence, providing military intell ...

. Ross is portrayed by

Guy Doleman Guy Doleman (22 November 1923 – 30 January 1996) was a New Zealand born actor, active in Australia, Britain and the United States. He is possibly best remembered for being the first actor to play Number Two in the classic cult series ''The Pr ...

in the 1960s "

Harry Palmer Harry Palmer is the name given to the anti-hero protagonist of several films based on spy novels written by Len Deighton, in which the main character is an unnamed intelligence officer. For convenience, the novels are also often referred to a ...

" films ''

The Ipcress File ''The IPCRESS File'' is Len Deighton's first spy novel, published in 1962. The story involves Cold War brainwashing and includes scenes in Lebanon and on an atoll for a United States atomic weapon test, as well as information about Joe One, ...

'', ''

Funeral in Berlin ''Funeral in Berlin'' is a 1964 spy novel by Len Deighton set between Saturday 5 October and Sunday 10 November 1963. It was the third of Deighton's novels about an unnamed British agent. It was preceded by '' The IPCRESS File'' (1962) and '' ...

'' and ''

Billion Dollar Brain ''Billion Dollar Brain'' is a 1967 British spy film, espionage film directed by Ken Russell and based on the 1966 novel ''Billion-Dollar Brain'' by Len Deighton. The film features Michael Caine as secret agent Harry Palmer, the anti-hero prota ...

''.

Character

Ross is an old-school, establishment, British Army

colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

. The novel's unnamed hero describes him as a "regular officer; that is to say he didn’t drink gin after 7.30 P.M. or hit ladies without first removing his hat," with "the complexion of a

Hovis Hovis Ltd is a British company that produces flour, yeast and bread. Founded in Stoke-on-Trent, it began mass-production in Macclesfield in 1886. Hovis became part of Rank Hovis McDougall (RHM) in 1962 after a succession of mergers. RHM, with ...

loaf." A straight talker who deploys understatement, subterfuge and blackmail to achieve his goals, he is not above resorting to threats. "He was a quiet intellect happy to work within the strict departmental limitations imposed upon him" and according to some "Ross ''was'' Military Intelligence". The unnamed hero suggests that "hitting platform five at

Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, 1815 battle where Napoleon's French army was defeated by Anglo-allied and Prussian forces * Waterloo, Belgium Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Australia * Waterloo, New South Wale ...

with rose-bud in the buttonhole and umbrella at the high port was Ross’s beginning to a day of rubber stamp and

carbon paper Carbon paper (originally carbonic paper) consists of sheets of paper that create one or more copies simultaneously with the creation of an original document when inscribed by a typewriter or ballpoint pen. The email term cc which means "carbon ...

action." He is happily married with one son, and lives in a large house and grounds in the London suburbs.

Film Portrayal

''The Ipcress File'' (1965) shows Ross to be fond of his

London Club The London Club is an informal group of private creditors on the international stage, and is similar to the Paris Club of public lenders. The London Club is not the only informal group of private payables. The first meeting of the London Club too ...

and to enjoy feeding the birds. He keeps a packet of bird seed in a jar on his desk to feed pigeons from the window of his office overlooking

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...

. Later he is seen feeding ducks in

St James's Park St James's Park is a urban park in the City of Westminster, central London. A Royal Park, it is at the southernmost end of the St James's area, which was named after a once isolated medieval hospital dedicated to St James the Less, now the ...

. Ross claims to possess a "sense of humour". He tells Palmer that his B-107 personnel file "makes awful reading" and concludes that "you just love the army, don't you?" In ''

'' (1966), Ross is shown to be a keen

gardener A gardener is someone who practices gardening, either professionally or as a hobby. Description A gardener is any person involved in gardening, arguably the oldest occupation, from the hobbyist in a residential garden, the home-owner suppleme ...

, briefing Palmer while tackling a large thistle patch in his sprawling garden. "I like weeds," he tells Palmer rather pointedly. "You have to keep the flowers out, defend the strong against the weak. A garden should be like a country lane, a place you can walk in. Not with flower beds laid out like a cemetery." In ''

'' (1967), Ross tells Palmer “I want you back in MI5”. This is inconsistent with the two previous films, and the books, where it is mentioned that Ross’ department is under in the War Office and part of the Army, not a civilian department under the

Home Office The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...

. The novels make it clear that 'Harry' has not and does not work for

MI5 MI5 ( Military Intelligence, Section 5), officially the Security Service, is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Gov ...

, and that department is referred to euphemistically as “The Friends”.Deighton, Len (1962). ''

''. Penguin. pp.127.

References

Fictional British spies Fictional colonels Literary characters introduced in 1962